Judge Maria Cantu Hexsel
Individual Rules, Standing Orders & Policies
Limits & Logistics
Courtesy Copies
All filings
Court-wide- 1 copy • After Filing
- Civil:2 copies
Appendices
Court-wideAppendix
Court-wide- With Brief Delivery
Brief
Court-wide- When Delivering Opening Brief
Adjournments
Court-wideRequest must include
Communication
Chambers
Clerk
Chambers
Chambers
Phone
Court-wideClerk
Duty Judge
Phone
Court-wideChambers
Document Format Requirements6 rules
Exhibits offered in court must be numbered with numerals only; no letters, hyphens, or dots may be added to exhibit numbers.
4) Exhibits must be marked with numerals, not letters. While A, B, C is often used for exhibits attached to pleadings, numerals must be used for exhibits offered in court. No letters, hyphens, or dots should be added to the exhibit numbers.
Exhibit files may not be password-protected, encrypted, or protected by rights management.
The computer file must not be password-protected, encrypted, or protected by rights management.
Each exhibit must be uploaded as a separate, text-searchable PDF; exhibits may not be combined into one PDF and Word/Excel files must be converted to PDF.
2) Each exhibit must be uploaded as a separate text-searchable PDF file. Do not combine multiple exhibits into a single PDF. Word and Excel documents must be converted to PDF.
Exhibit file names must use three-digit exhibit numbers with the party designation (e.g., P-001, D-100), switching to four-digit numbering for all exhibits if numbers will exceed 999.
6) Each exhibit file name must be a three-digit exhibit number to keep exhibits in proper order within Box (i.e., P-001, P-010, P-100, D-001, D-010, D-100). If you anticipate exhibit numbers to go beyond 999, use four-digit numbering for all exhibits, i.e., P-0001, P-0010, P-0100, P-1000.
Scanned exhibits must be verified as searchable using OCR before uploading to Box.
Prior to uploading, make sure that any scanned documents are searchable using an Optical Character Recognition (OCR) tool.
Audio (.mp3) and video (.mp4) files may be uploaded to Box, but each file is limited to 10GB.
7) Audio files (.mp3) and video files (.mp4) may be uploaded to Box, but each audio/video file may not exceed 10GB.
Document Filing Requirements5 rules
The first page of each exhibit must be marked with the party designation and exhibit number matching the PDF file name.
3) The first page of each exhibit must be marked with the party designation and exhibit number that correlates with the PDF file name.
Document Type
Exhibits
If the exhibit number does not appear on the exhibit image, a separator page showing the party designation and exhibit number must precede the image.
If an exhibit number is not on the exhibit image, there must be a separator page preceding the image to show the party designation and exhibit number.
Document Type
Exhibits
Each exhibit must include the party's designation from the current lawsuit (P, D, R, or I, as full word or letter) along with the exhibit numeral, regardless of which party is the movant.
5) Each exhibit must contain a party designation letter or name along with the numeral. Your designation in the current lawsuit is the designation to be used for exhibits, regardless of which party is the moving party for any particular motion. You may use the full word or just the designation letter: Plaintiff or Petitioner (P); Defendant (D); Respondent (R); Intervenor (I).
Document Type
Exhibits
An exhibit list must be uploaded to the party's Box folder.
8) Upload an exhibit list to your Box folder.
Document Type
Exhibits
'Movant' and 'Non-Movant' may not be used as party designations; distinguishing words (e.g., Defendant Jones, Defendant Smith) must identify parties.
Do not use "Movant" or "Non-Movant." use distinguishing words to identify the parties (i.e., Defendant Jones, Defendant Smith).
Document Type
Exhibits
Filing & Service rules
Electronic Filing Rules
The Court may move the case to the bottom of the docket or reset the hearing if exhibits are not properly uploaded to Box.
Please ensure that your exhibits are uploaded correctly. The Court reserves the right to move your case to the bottom of the docket or reset your hearing if the exhibits are not properly uploaded.
Page 2 | Instructions and Guidance for Electronic Exhibits for All Travis County Civil Courts
Exhibits must be uploaded to the correct folder for the uploading party in Box.
Upload your exhibits to the correct folder for your party.
Page 2 | Instructions and Guidance for Electronic Exhibits for All Travis County Civil Courts
Uploading an exhibit to Box is not an offer into evidence; unoffered exhibits will be deleted from the record, and exhibits not intended for evidence need not be uploaded.
Uploading exhibits does not constitute an offer into evidence. Any exhibit that is not offered on the record during a hearing or trial will be deleted and not included in the record. If you do not intend to offer exhibits into evidence, they do not need to be uploaded.
Page 1 | Instructions and Guidance for Electronic Exhibits for All Travis County Civil Courts
Box access links are sent to email addresses on the announcement sheet, and additional team members' email addresses can be added through the announcement portal.
9) Box links are generated and sent to email addresses included on the announcement sheet. The announcement portal is designed to allow parties to go back into it to add additional email addresses for people on your team who may also need access to Box.
Page 2 | Instructions and Guidance for Electronic Exhibits for All Travis County Civil Courts
Filing Timing and Cure Windows
Exhibits must be uploaded to Box at least 24 hours before a hearing or trial.
1) Upload exhibits to Box at least 24 hours in advance of a hearing or trial.
Page 1 | Instructions and Guidance for Electronic Exhibits for All Travis County Civil Courts
Service and Proof of Service Rules
Exhibits cannot be downloaded from Box, so parties must exchange exhibits with each other on their own prior to any hearing or trial.
Box is for uploading and viewing. While each side can view the opposing side's exhibits, exhibits may not be downloaded from Box. The civil courts expect that parties will exchange exhibits on their own prior to any hearing or trial.
Page 1 | Instructions and Guidance for Electronic Exhibits for All Travis County Civil Courts
Chambers Communication Rules
Technical assistance with Box is available from Courts-Help by email at courts-help@traviscountytx.gov.
If you need technical assistance with Box, you may contact Courts-Help at courts-help@traviscountytx.gov or 512-854-8324.
Page 2 | Instructions and Guidance for Electronic Exhibits for All Travis County Civil Courts